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Since I wasn't a hammocker yet, I wasn't looking for suitable trees to hang, just shade to get out of the furnace of the inner canyon. This ranges from cottonwood trees to tamarisk bushes. Yes, there are trees at Bright Angel, Indian Gardens, and Cottonwood campgrounds. It sounds like it depends on who you ask and who you are dealing with at the moment, but there's no guarantee that you would get the correct site with suitable trees. The corridor trails are byfar the heaviest travelled and May is a prime hiking month, just before the temperatures go crazy. I would say you need to be prepared to sleep on the ground most of the time. Don't let that stop you. It's a trip of a lifetime. Get you permit on Jan 1.

We are now ready to start our way down the Great Unknown.We are three quarters of a mile in the depth of the earth.We have an unknown distance yet to run, an unknow river yet to explore.What falls there are, we know not; what rocks beset the channel, we know not; what walls rise over the river, we know not. Ah, well! We may conjecture many things. The men talk as cheerfully as ever; jests are bandied about freely this morning; but to me the cheer is somber and the jests are ghastly. Powell 1869

i've gone to the north rim almost every year for past 12 yrs or so to begin my annual long trip, the last five yrs I've used hammocks and never a problem in campground, in fact had couple rangers stay in extra hammock and in mine while I went down for couple days, I've always gone to ground in canyon as they are very protective of vegetation. North rim nice and not crowded Vs south side which is loaded during may through sept. Also I understand the southside is where daily takedown is enforced, north its not been issue, I do keep tarp on and down , but have kept a big eno double deluxe as a lounger, good trees, good acceptance. Several of rangers and rangeretts now have hammocks and I've not had any issues. BTW the north rim normally is not open till June, bc of snow, bout a 1000ft higher than south. drive wise, it's a 260 mile trip from southside. But like has already been said, go it is a very special place, get legs in shape. from there so many other great places to go.jrs

BTW, as scottybdiving said, get permit and reservations early, get chance, read "death in the canyon" if u can find a copy, will amaze you what people have done and will alert you to the tough environment of this beautiful place.

I agree. It's not a morbid book like the title would indicate. It statistically based and more about all the different ways people have gotten themselves into trouble and what the circumstances were that lead up to it. One of the more incredible parts was the huge increase of copycats that attempted to drive off the rim after the movie "Thelma and Louise' hit the screen.

We are now ready to start our way down the Great Unknown.We are three quarters of a mile in the depth of the earth.We have an unknown distance yet to run, an unknow river yet to explore.What falls there are, we know not; what rocks beset the channel, we know not; what walls rise over the river, we know not. Ah, well! We may conjecture many things. The men talk as cheerfully as ever; jests are bandied about freely this morning; but to me the cheer is somber and the jests are ghastly. Powell 1869

yeah there are so many forest / fire roads outside the north entrance, 22 being one of the best, what nice so few people, only one lodge compared to south side. The book just points out there is no end to being stupid. A lot of people are just not prepared for the massiveness of the place and how to take it end and when you drop below the rim, they are noy joking about time measured by 1/3rd down 2/3rds the time to come up, if your in ok shape, plus hydration. I always wanted to have mules at the bottom to rent out to come back up, you could charge whatever you wanted and plenty would pay. For those who've gone the north rim down and up or cross canyon and up the north rim you know there are very few flat spots , all up hill. Last year when I came up and checking in, a woman was chewing out a couple of the rangers because "their" buffalo, would not get off the road, ranger told her they'd tell the trainer, as tired as I was, laughed till i cried, she said good. It is as is most of the southwest, west and beautiful northwest just beautifully astounding.